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With the Phillies out of the playoffs (already…ugh, don’t get me started), it’s time to focus on football.

My attention lately has been drawn to Verizon’s NFL Mobile commercials. I love these commercials—and I think you will too. Why? Because of the ENERGY within them.

Check out this first one:

The energy comes from the music and is paced perfectly to relate to the start of the football season. The beginning gives a sense of anticipation—with just the whoosh of the football—and then participation, with more footballs flying through the air and everyday people catching them.

Overall, it’s a creative yet simple idea that’s very well done.

Now that we’re a few weeks into the season, this next Verizon NFL Mobile commercial seems perfect too.

This commercial amps up the energy with Drew Brees’ and the Saints’ pregame chant made famous in their Super-Bowl-winning year.

I love that chant! But even if you don’t. I’m sure there’s something that your team does that gets you fired up. And that’s exactly the point.

Verizon took a Nike-like approach to this ad and appeals to the true fans of the sport. From the look of the comments on their YouTube site, it seems to be working:

That little spot of humor at the end fits nicely too. It gives the ad a nice sharp ending that quiets your brain and readies you for the call to action, which Verizon certainly wants you to hear.

Maybe next year, Verizon can create a baseball ad that will pump up the Phillies enough so that they remember how to hit and WIN! AGAIN! A girl can dream, right?

Like this:

After bullying AT&T for at least a year, Verizon’s advertising soured even more with their “Rule the air” campaign. Not only does it reek of arrogance but it also feels like a slogan that’s been ripped off an old Nike ad.

But, their new “Susie’s Lemonade”commercial has a brighter feel to it. Using kids can often have that effect.

5 reasons the Susie’s Verizon ad works

1. Great storytelling

The commercial starts with a dad going off to work. His cute, little daughter is sitting at her lemonade stand, and her dad hands her a phone saying, “Here, use this. It has a calculator.” By the time he comes home Susie has turned her lemonade stand into a lemonade empire.

2. Shows the product in action

Yes, the phone has a calculator, but we also see it processing credit card payments and more. Susie goes from phone to tablet to laptop to showcase Verizon’s small business capabilities.

3. Appeals by using something most people love—kids

As implied before, who doesn’t like kids? Showing kids succeeding in “grown-up” roles is often a hit—as is the reverse too (remember the AT&T Blackberry bumper cars?). Kids are a symbol of imagination (as compared to the limited-thinking dad). Plus, when you see kids using the products the underlying message is that you can do it too.

4. Takes something that’s true and exaggerates it

We all know (at least those of us 40 and over) that our kids figure out our electronics way before we do. After all, “Dad” owns the phone but seems to think it’s best use for Susie will be as a calculator. Ha—is he in for a surprise! If he only knew all the things his phone ( and Verizon) could do.

5. Makes it easy to remember what the ad is for

Once again, a family member tipped me off to this commercial. My dad asked me if I had seen it. He described a good bit of it and then even remembered it was a Verizon ad. That’s the true test.

The audience might love a commercial and remember it well, but if they don’t remember what it’s for, then the ad can’t be considered a success.

Even Verizon’s tagline works: “The small business with the best technology rules.” It’s a better play off the “Rules the air” message. And it’s something small business owners know is often true.

This commercial helps lessen the fear of “how do I compete in that world?” that many small business owners have. It speaks to turning dreams into possibilities and inspires people to think that maybe they can do it too…with Verizon’s help, of course.

Big bad Verizon knows an opportunity when it sees one and attacked. Their misfit toys ad was brilliant.

We ask the same question asked in the ad, “Why is the iPhone on the island of misfit toys?” Then, the AT&T coverage map pops up. Verizon followed up with a campaign of “maps” ads that hit hard.

AT&T tried to sue and then created maps commercials of their own. Two big missteps, don’t you think?

Luke Wilson is likable enough and the commercials are so-so. But there’s no bang. If you’re going to take on the big bully, you have to have something strong to come back with. They have nothing in these ads, and they know it.

AT&T launches a second wave. One campaign responds to Verizon’s attack and another takes a different approach. Smart, right? They can still market to their strength while knocking down Verizon’s argument. A double whammy!

But no! The new ad comes out and the double whammy hits AT&T like a schoolyard slap. Not only is their new ad annoying, but it’s a pathetic ripoff of a popular old Budweiser ad. See for yourself:

What’s next? Maybe they should do a “Can you hear me now?” campaign—that would be more fitting. Or maybe they should spend less on advertising and more on improving their network. (See Gizmodo for details.)

When they do fix their network problems, they should then figure out what their strength is and market to that strength. Most of all, they need to be original. And if they need inspiration, they should check out their own print campaign. After all, it won “America’s Favorite Magazine Ad” in July 2009.